The Duke of St. Alban's made a speech at Mansfield
on Tues- day of some merit. This small, though thriving place is, it appears, entirely dependent on lace, hosiery, and moulding in iron, and goes at them all with a will. In 1870 it set up an art school, and in the first year gained twelve Government prizes, while in the second year there were sixty-one students and twenty- one Government prizes, all showing a degree of knowledge of Art which struck the Duke with pleasure and surprise. The Duke made the regulation speech, explaining how art can minister to our commonest necessities,—using, by the way, the worn-out and unhappy illustration of the strigil, which is now superseded by the flesh-brush or the glove,—quoting letters to show how English artisans were rivalling those of the Continent, but warning the students not to let art detach them from out-door games, which—cricket especially—promoted manliness. Well, that is fair Hellenic teaching, which English boys always want ; but the Duke probably benefited them more by reading Mr. Ruskin's letter, which is reviewed elsewhere, and which, though over boys' heads for the present, will perhaps byaud bye sink into their souls.
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